"I'm much too young to feel this damned old." Garth Brooks

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Beginning the 60 Blog

Every day is a new beginning. Stay away from what may have been and look at what can be.

Today is the second day of Rosh Hashanah. This marks a new year in the Hebrew calendar and it is the new year for people, animals, and legal contracts. It is also known as Judgment Day. Tradition states that three books are opened: the book of life (for the righteous among the nations); the book of death (for the most evil who receive the seal of death); and the third book for the ones living in doubts with non-evil sins. (Source: Wikipedia)

Although the Jewish calendar is based on the lunar cycle, so that the first day of each month originally began with the first sighting of a new moon, since the fourth century it has been arranged so that Rosh Hashanah never falls on a Sunday, Wednesday, or Friday. Rosh Hashanah occurs 163 days after the first day of Passover.

We grew up recognizing the Jewish holidays, but not observing them religiously. It was always a running joke that “Rosh Hashanah is early this year” or “late this year.” In fact, this year, Hanukkah falls on Christmas Day! But the holidays we traditionally observed in my family is Rosh Hashanah (the new year) and Yom Kippur (the day of atonement). Our family is always with us during this holiest week in the Jewish calendar, and I always consider this week my time for reflection, resolutions, family, and change. I’ve had many changes (good and bad) happen the last few months and I am using this week to create my action plan for the coming months. What will you do differently through the end of 2016?